Jedi Glory
by Eomer Windu
Summary: Mace Windu lives, as do many other Jedi Knights. What if Mace Windu had survived the fall? What if he returns to the Jedi Temple? What if?
1. Traitors

"In the name of the Galactic Senate of the Republic, you're under arrest, Chancellor," Jedi Master Mace Windu said these words directly, with power and authority, to the newly revealed Dark Lord of the Sith. Slowly he removed his lightsaber from his belt, igniting the purple blade.

His fellow Jedi Masters, Kit Fisto, Saesee Tin, and Agen Kolar did the same. Mace sensed this arrest wouldn't be peaceful.

Supreme Chancellor Palpatine looked as calm as ever, seated behind his desk. "Are you threatening me Master Jedi?" He asked it cooly, but with a sense of anger.

Mace countered, "The Senate will decide your fate."

"I am the Senate!" said Palpatine, with more anger and spite behind his words.

"Not yet," said Mace.

Mace could see this was going nowhere good. He readied himself for what would probably prove to be the toughest fight he had ever fought. He couldn't allow this Sith disease to take over the Republic. He wouldn't allow it.

Palpatine stood from his chair slowly as an old man crippled with age would. Mace knew better. A lightsaber shot from the Sith Lord's robes to Palpatine's hand. "It's treason then," he said finally.

With a distorted look on his face he ignited the lightsaber slowly. A red glow filled his face, and with a horrid screech he jumped over the desk and spiraled toward the Master Jedi.

Mace Windu tensed himself and went into the Vaapad fighting stance. He would see now if years of training and perfecting his own personal fighting form. The form of Vaapad. Vaapad used quick, lightning fast blows to confuse and eventually destroy the users opponent. Only two Jedi had ever fully mastered Vaapad. The other Master was currently in a catatonic state after facing off against Master Windu. Mace tried not to think of Depa right now.

The Sith Lord dispatched Masters Tin and Kolar with ease. Mace could feel the Sith's power rising with every new kill. He was just too fast for the Jedi. _I should've come alone. _Thought Mace as he blocked a vicious attack from Palpatine. The Sith then turned to Master Fisto slicing through the Jedi's gut. Kit had died quickly.

An anger filled Mace as he and the Sith Lord fought alone. Mace channeled his anger into his fighting using a darkness for the purposes of the light. The Sith had to die, there was no other option left thought Mace. Slowly Windu was gaining the advantage, only through the power of Vaapad was he able to do this.

They were now back in the conference room. So many times had the Jedi met with Palpatine in this place, unaware that the man they were talking to was in fact the Dark Lord of the Sith. So many times thought Mace, could we have killed him. Mace broke open the window with his blade, causing a slight distraction. This was all the Master Jedi needed.

He quickly kicked the blade from Palpatine's hand, knocking him to the floor in the process. As he did this he felt another person walk into the room.

It was Skywalker.

Palpatine backed up quickly in fright, as the Mace's purple blade was right in the Sith Lord's face.

"You are under arrest my lord," said Mace.

"Anakin, I told you it would come to this, the Jedi are taking over." The Sith said this in a frightened voice, one of desperation.

"The opression of the Sith will never return. You have lost." Mace glared at the Sith, there was still much power and anger within Palpatine. He wasn't don't yet. But he noticed something, Palpatine was for sure that Anakin was with him. With the Sith.

"No, NO, NO, YOU will die!" Palpatine yelled this with fury and shot lightning from his hand towards Mace. Mace raised his blade to block the lightning. Slowly using Vaapad he channeled the lightning back to Palpatine, using the Sith's weapon against him.

"Kill the traitor Anakin!" shouted Palpatine.

"He's the traitor!" yelled Mace. He knew this shouldn't have been such a hard choice for Skywalker, for any other Jedi the choice would be clear. But not Skywalker. Here was his chance to fulfill the prophecy. To fulfill his destiny of being the Chosen One. But Skywalker hesitated. Why?

"I can save Padme!" said the Sith, he was growing weaker by the second. "You must choose!"

"Don't listen to him Anakin!" yelled Windu. So this was why. Senator Amidala. Mace knew something was strange when Skywalker and the Senator spent more and more time together, but she wasn't in any danger, was she?

"Don't let him kill me, I'm too weak." Palpatine was putting on a show. Mace could sense it. The Sith had full trust in Skywalker, enough trust to let down his attack. The lightning then stopped altogether. "Help Anakin, I can't hold on any longer."

Mace knew what he had to do.

"I'm going to end this once and for all!" Shouted Mace. Taking Palpatine was no longer an option. While it was un-Jedi, he had no choice.

Anakin then spoke up. "You can't, he must stand trial!"

"He has control of the Senate and the Courts. He's too dangerous to be left alive." Mace said this with full truth.

"Please don't kill me," said Palpatine in a dying voice. "I'm too weak."

"It's not the Jedi way." Skywalker was desperate. "He must live."

Mace raised his blade, this was it, an end to the Sith. The Republic would live on, Mace wouldn't let it die.

"I need him!" Skywalker quickly drew his lightsaber and blocked Mace's blow.

Mace looked at Skywalker with surprise, and anger. He saw it clearly now. Palpatine wasn't the shatterpoint to everything. Skywalker was.

"POWER!!!" Palpatine shouted as more lightning took on Mace. The lightning hit Windu hard, Mace was unable to stop it. "ABSOLUTE POWER!!!" Mace was then thrown out the window and began to fall.

I've failed, thought Mace. I've failed the Order, the Republic, even the entire Galaxy. Weakness overtook him. He was unable to concentrate as he fell. Death was coming for Mace, it had already taken hope. All the Jedi would die now. The younglings, the Knights, all of them. Suddenly a new hope arose in Mace. I won't allow it, he thought. I **won't** give up. Mace called on all his strength and stopped his descent. He looked down to see the hard steel ground only a few meters below him. The Order still needs me, he thought.

He looked around at his surroundings, he had landed in an empty speeder lot. He recognized it, only a few kilos from the Jedi Temple. He looked around at the empty speeders, there was a Class-TG95 speeder parked on the far end of the lot. That'll do, he thought.

Mace ran over to the speeder, started it with the Force. Luckily he wasn't a rule follower in his Padawan days. Stealing a speeder came easily even after all those years. Mace jumped in the speeder and took off toward the Temple.


	2. Shadows

Shadows block all of our minds. Some, to keep the truth that would destroy us away, others to foil and poison your mind. But shadows aren't a problem for Mace Windu; he is a Jedi.

Even now, Mace was sorting through the shadows in his mind; trying to sense the actions of Skywalker and Palpatine. The duel with the Sith Lord had made him weak, but Mace continued to live.

He swerved in and out of Coruscant traffic in his newly obtained speeder. Stealing was against the Jedi Code, but surely the Code would allow Mace to compensate just this once. The Sith Lord would surely be sending Clone troops to the temple right at this moment, to eradicate the "traitors".

Mace looked down to the ground; he was there. Windu parked the speeder at the bottom of the Temple steps, jumped out, and ran up to Jurokk, the gate keeper.

"Master Windu! What's happened? I felt a disturba…"

"Seal the doors Jurokk, and gather all the Padawans and Younglings to the Main Hangar Bay." Mace said this quickly. No time could be wasted on explanations. An attack was coming on the Temple, and the Jedi couldn't put up an adequate defense in such short moments. The Order was moving.

"But Master Windu."

"I'll explain this all when we're safe, but nows not the time Jurokk." Mace was growing impatient; time for such explanations had run out, they had to move.

"Yes Master," said Jurokk solemnly. He bowed and began to work on the computer on the Main Gates. Windu left him to his work.

Mace then reached out to Master Shaak Ti._ The others are dead Master Ti; I was defeated but am still alive. The Sith Lord is unaware of this. He has also obtained a new apprentice. Skywalker has joined Palpatine, he stopped me from killing the Sith Lord. Gather all remaining Jedi Masters inside the Temple; we'll meet in the Main Control Room._

Chaos now began to flood the Temple. Here and there were young Jedi children running about, Master-less Padawans trying to lead them in the right direction. Mace turned up the stairs and quickly made his way to the Main Control Room.

Mace walked through the door into the room quietly, not making any big entrance. Shaak Ti was the first to speak. "Mace, are you all right?" She seemed genuinely worried about Master Windu.

"I'll make it, but I'm not the topic of discussion. We need to get out of here," said Mace.

Master Cin Drallig spoke up. "Master Windu, you can't possibly attempt to hid the entire Order somewhere on Coruscant. We'd be found out in a week. I say we make a stand at the Temple. We can hold off the clones." The old dueling master was sure of himself, sure of the Order.

I would be too, thought Mace, had I not faced off against Palpatine and then betrayed by Skywalker.

"I believe, Cin, that Master Windu proposes leaving Coruscant itself. Tell me if I'm wrong Master Windu." Master Dass Jennir spoke these words in a far corner of the room, slowly coming out of the dark.

Dass Jennir was a Jedi Master of about forty. His hair had already grayed, probably from the Clone Wars. A master strategist and duelist, Master Jennir had spent much of the war on the Outer Rim, making him quite skeptical of the Republic and their war. He had come back changed, but Mace knew he could rely on this old war horse.

"Yes Master Jennir, I propose that exactly. Already the Younglings, Padawans, and remaining Jedi Knights are at the Main Hangar Bay, awaiting orders. We will load onto the gun ships there, and take over an Acclamator ship and relocate. Begin preparations, I must talk with Master Yoda."

Mace could sense some of the Masters didn't like this idea. Mace wasn't even sure if he liked it, but now was not the time to discuss, it was the time to act.

Mace hooked up a long range communicator and signaled it to Master Yoda's personal communicator on Kashyyyk. He waited impatiently as the communicator hooked up. Finally a small, blue image of Master Yoda appeared.

"Master Windu, a disturbance in the Force I sensed."

Mace quickly explained the events that had happened the past hour. "Master Yoda I have also prepared the Order to leave the Temple. Where should we relocate?"

Master Yoda waited a moment, "To Kashyyyk will you come. To great to be searched, are the forests here. Good friends am I with the Wookies, here they will harbor us."

"Very well Master, I will set up a beacon warning the other Jedi and telling them to relocate to Kashyyyk." Mace knew he had to act quickly. He went to a computer within the room and set the signal. Then as an afterthought, he set it to explode should anyone try to hamper it.

"It is done Master Yoda," said Mace.

"Very well, Master Windu, prepare for your arrival on Kashyyyk I will. Hurry you…" Master Yoda's image disappeared from the viewing screen, the sound of lightsaber could be heard. Yoda then returned to view. He looked up at Master Windu sadly. "Begun it has."

The screen then shut off. Master Windu ran out toward the Main Hangar Bay, they had to leave now. In every hall Mace took it was empty. _Will we ever return to this sacred place?_ Thought Mace as he took a final corridor towards the Hangar Bay. Mace then felt a great disturbance in the Force.

Skywalker had arrived.

Mace ran into the Hangar Bay to see all the gun ships loaded full with Jedi. Master Jennir ran up to him.

"Your orders Master Windu?"

"Skywalker and his clones have arrived. Tell all the pilots that we're going to Hangar Base 19-A, it's the closest to Temple. It should also be under light guard, now let's go." Mace boarded the closest gun ship. He looked around to see only youngling and Padawans on board. They were all frightened but tried not to show it in front of Mace.

Windu turned to the pilot, a young Padawan known as Whie Malreaux.

"Head to Hangar Base 19-A, Padawan."

"Yes Master Windu," said Whie. He then started up the gun ship took off towards the base. Mace turned back to see Skywalker run in with fury on his face. Around him were Clone troopers. Skywalker then looked directly at Mace. Shock came over the traitor's face. With spite in his words he shouted at them all. "Jedi Cowards! You can't run from the power of the Sith!" But by then Mace's ship was the only one in hearing range. Mace then thought silently.

_Don't worry Skywalker, we'll see who the cowards are in the end._


	3. Changes

The wind cooly hit Mace Windu's face. All about him things were changing. He could sense it in the Younglings aboard the gun ship. They knew that life would never be the same. He could sense it in the Coruscant citizens, who had just heard over the HoloNet of the assassination attempt on the Supreme Chancellor's life. They could tell change was in order. Mace Windu never liked change, he prefered things the way they were. All he could hope was that this change wasn't permanent.

The pilot of the gun ship, Whie Malreaux, looked back at Mace. "Master Windu, Master Jennir reports that the first of the gun ships have landed at the Hangar Bay. There is little resistance."

No resistance, thought Mace, that was strange. Surely by now the Sith Lord had informed all the clones to beware of Jedi. "No resistance he says?"

"Yes Master, no clones are at the hangar," said Whie. "Only mechanics and such, according to Master Jennir they're all too surprised to do anything."

Mace nodded in approval as the gun ship landed just outside the hangar. Mace could see Padawans scrambling to one of the Acclamator ships. Off on the far side of the hangar Master Ti was helping a few Knights gather supplies and load them onto the ship. He stepped off the gunship.

"Whie, lead these Padawans too the ship. You are now in command of all Padawans and Younglings on board, do you understand?" Mace spoke to the young Padawan as he would a fellow Jedi Master.

"Yes Master," said Whie. The young boy then took turned to the other Padawans. "All right follow me."

Mace turned and headed toward the ship. He looked around, searching for Master Jennir. He ran up to Master Cin Drallig, who was speaking with his former student Serra Keto.

"Master Windu, " said Cin, "we must hurry. There are reports of a large clone force under the command of Skywalker headed this way."

"Is the ship ready to launch?" asked Mace. It could take hours to prepare the ship if it wasn't ready.

"Yes Master, we chose a ship that was already scheduled to leave. The _Old Reliance_ is ready to go," said Master Drallig.

"Very well, make sure everyone's loaded on and then we can leave." Mace said this and turned away. He began to walk to the ship when he heard blaster fire coming from the far side of the hangar. Windu turned to see clone troopers firing on the ship.

'Everyone on the ship, now!" Mace yelled. The Jedi all began to scramble onboard the ship. Mace waited for everyone to be onboard before he too ran up the last available boarding ramp.

Once onboard Mace made his way to the Command Bridge. Lining the halls were tired Jedi, a few even had blaster wounds.

"Those who are injured make your way to the Medical center. The rest of you wait in the Barracks." Mace then went on the elevator to the Command Bridge.

Thank the Force, thought Mace, a second to rest. At a small beep the elevator doors opened. All around were Jedi manning the Bridge stations.

Mace walked up to Master Jennir, who was seated in the Captains chair giving orders.

"How are we doing Dass?" asked Mace.

"All systems are go. We should be fine until we get into space, but once we're in space…"

Mace finished Dass' statement. "We'll get mauled by Republic ships." Mace knew that by now there were at least a few hundred Republic ships with orders to destory the _Old Reliance_ once it got space-borne. The Jedi were going to need all the power they could get from the shields. "Take all power from communications systems and defense systems and retransmit it into shield power."

Dass turned to the other Jedi at the different controls. "You heard Master Windu, all power to the shields. We'll get out of here alive yet." Dass then turned back to Mace. "Master we got this over the HoloNet. You'd probably like to see it." Master Jennir then handed Mace a small Holo screen. A video of Palpatine took the screen. He was giving a speech in the Senate building.

_We are the Empire that will stand for a thousand years, then a thousand more! Our greatness will never be outshone, forever and always shall we stand FREE! Our society will be safe and secure for a millenia!!! But first we must destory the Sepratists and eradicate the treacherous Jedi once and for all!_

Mace turned it off as cheering took the audio.

"It would seem that we no longer have any allies in the Senate," said Dass. "I knew the Jedi should've never connected ourselves with the Repbulic."

"That?" Mace looked up at Dass pointed at the Holo screen. "You call _**that **_the Republic?" The other masters began to turn around. "That was a Sith Lord deceiving a room of greedy senators. That was NOT the Republic."

Shaak Ti interrupted Mace. "We are through the atmosphere. Brace yourselves."

Not a moment after she'd informed them, the _Old Reliance_ was bombarded with fire from the Republic ships. The ship shook with tremendous power, forcing the ship to tilt.

"ARC-170s coming in fast!" shouted Dass Jennir over the din. "More power to frontal shields!" The enemy fighters continued their attack run, they then pulled up dropping missiles no the frontal shield generators. "Damn, we need firepower on those ARCs they're tearing us apart!"

Mace turned and began to walk toward the hangars.

"Master Windu where are you going?" asked Shaak Ti. Mace then turned around and looked at Master Ti.

"To deal with those fighters."

Once he arrived at the hangar there was only one ARC-170. All Mace needed. He quickly jumped in and started the engine. He turned on the communicator and signaled the bridge of the _Old Reliance_. "Open up the blast doors on Hangar 5."

With no verbal response the blast doors opened. Mace then flew out of the Hangar to take on the enemy ARCs. He saw two at the back of the ship by the engines at a stand-by position. The hadn't noticed Mace yet.

Mace then realized that this was his first chance of revenge against Palpatine. While revenge was against the Jedi Code he knew that's what all this was going to be. Revenge. Not wanting to use any missiles on these two loners, he used the Force to blow their engines. He watched in silent anger as the two ships blew up.

That'll get their attention, thought Mace.

He turned his ship around at a group of six other enemy fighters. As soon as he was in sight the enemy fighters opened fire on Mace. He easily dodged their lasers and missiles, while at the same time firing on the enemy fighters. In a few minutes he had destroyed all six and dispatched another twelve. A message then came over the communicator.

"Master Windu, this is Dass. We're ready to go into hyperspace, come back to the ship so we can get the hell out of here."

Mace turned the fighter back to the ship and landed inside the hangar. As he did this the blast doors closed. Just as he was getting out of the fighter, the ship lurched into hyperspace. Mace slowly walked back up to the bridge to see how extensive the damages to the ship were. When he arrived he was greeted by Master Ti, who hugged Mace.

"Mace, without you we surely would've all been dead by now. I must thank you,we all must thank you," said Shaak Ti. She said it with joy and sadness at the same time. Master Jennir then walked up.

"She's right Master Windu. If you hadn't of warned us we'd all be dead or worse, servants of that damnable Palpatine."

"We just need to make sure to get to Kashyyyk. We'll rejoice once we get there, but now we all need to rest for the coming battles," said Mace. "We're not going to give up on the Republic without a fight. I can guarantee that."


	4. Letting Go

For Jedi Master Mace Windu, the hardest lesson for him had been letting go. In Mace's experience, it was the hardest lesson for most Jedi. The lesson of letting go is taught to the Jedi from the moment they arrive at the Temple, and is continually learned until the day they die. Even now, Mace had trouble with letting go. He couldn't let go of Depa Billaba, whom was still in a coma at the Jedi Temple. He couldn't let go of the betrayal of Anakin Skywalker, or his own lust for revenge against the new Sith.

But one day we all must let go.

Mace Windu looked out the view port on the bridge of the _Old Reliance_, seeing over thirty Republic, no thought Mace, Imperial battle ships. After three days of hyperspace travel, the renegade Jedi had finally reached their destination, the forest world of Kashyyyk.

Mace knew everyone on board was worried, in those three days they had received no transmissions from Master Yoda or any other Jedi. Windu hadn't sensed the death of Yoda or anything close to it, but he knew to expect the worst.

"Prepare for heavy impact!" shouted Master Jennir. The old Jedi looked back at Mace from the captain's chair. "Master Windu any suggestions on getting us out of this mess?"

Mace pointed out the window, "Go full power between that gap in the blockade." But before he was allowed to finish his statement, Master Cin Drallig broke in.

"All due respect Master Windu, but are you mad?" said Drallig, turning in his chair. "We'll be blasted all to oblivion before we make it through that blockade!"

Mace looked at Master Drallig with his famous glare, eyes seemingly piercing into the very soul of Drallig. "If you had let me finish, you would know that my plan was not to get us all killed Master Drallig. We will all load into the escape-pods and once in position jettison toward Kashyyyk."

Drallig stood there for a moment before commenting, "Forgive me Master Windu, it's just these stressful times have us all…"

BOOM

The ship shook with intensity reminiscent of Coruscant. Lights flickered onboard as a heavy display of firepower began to tear apart the _Old Reliance _with efficiency.

Mace quickly shouted, "Full power to that gap, put it on auto-pilot now!"

"Yes sir!" shouted Master Jennir, punching in data to the NavComputer with un-Human speed.

Mace ran to the Main Intercom controls. "This is Master Windu, all of you must load onto the escape pods right now. They will jettison to Kashyyyk, there you're to trek to the Serabacha Mountain range. The pods will be programmed to land somewhere in that vicinity. Trust the Wookies, they will take you to Master Yoda. May the Force be with you." All around Mace could sense the growing fear in all the Jedi on board.

"Master Jennir is the NavComputer set?" asked Mace.

He quickly rose from the chair. "It is Master Windu; this piece of junk is headed straight to Hell, just like you ordered." Mace smiled, Master Jennir knew his work.

"Then let's get out of here."

The two of them ran to the escape pods, going through empty and battered hallways. The whole ship was in a constant rumble, lights flickering all the while. Mace and Dass turned a corner and went through a small doorway. They were there.

There was a mad scramble for the pods. Mace searched through chaos and found Master Ti.

"What's going on Shaak?" asked Mace over the load noise of confusion and fear. She looked at Mace with almost sad eyes.

"There aren't enough pods Mace," she said. "There's only enough for a couple hundred people. We have at least five hundred Jedi with us."

"All right!" shouted Mace, causing all the commotion to stop, "Begin loading Padawans and Younglings first. After that, if there's room, Knights and Masters will load!" Mace then went to the first pod, inside was a frightened young Knight. It was the young Human from Kessel. He had been knighted only a few weeks ago. Mace grabbed the Jedi by the cuff of his robe and threw him out of the pod. He had no time for cowards.

"Padawans and younglings first!" he shouted again. Windu then began to help young Jedi children into the pods. Young Whie Malreaux ran up to him in the confusion.

"Master, allow me to stay and help pilot the ship, I know I can land her!"

Windu admired the young Padawans bravery, but knew it was pointless. "Whie, as a Jedi Master, I order you to get on this pod!"

"But I can…"

"Whie this is for the entire Order! You are strong in the Force; if all the Masters die it will be you to become the leader of the Order, now go!" Whie understood and nodded. He helped a young child aboard the pod closest and then got in himself. Another two Padawans got in and the pod was full. Mace closed the door and pushed the jettison controls. The pod was off.

Soon all the Padawans had been saved from the fiery doom and Knights began to load into the pods. Mace looked on as the young Knights climbed into the pods. They are the future of the Order thought Mace. They are the ones who will save the Republic. Master Ti ran up to him. After only a minute there was only one pod left.

Six Masters and the young Knight from Kessel climbed in, followed by Cin Drallig and his former student, Serra Keto. Master Jennir followed close behind. Mace looked at Shaak Ti who stood there, now hit by the fact that there wouldn't be enough room for the two people left, Mace and herself.

"We can make room for one more!" shouted Mace. He grabbed Shaak Ti's arm and looked up at her. "Shaak, you must go." The others began to protest but Mace knew what he had to do. He shoved her in the pod, and as it closed he smiled, something rarely seen.

"You always were the better teacher."

She tried to say something but the door closed before she could speak. Mace pushed the jettison control and the pod was off. The last of the Order, thought Mace sadly.

He ran back up to the main bridge. The entire ship was in a mess, most of the power was lost, and there were fires raging everywhere. Once he got to the bridge he looked at the digital ship layout.

The _Old Reliance _had lost its main shield generators. Mace knew without shield it would be almost impossible to go through Kashyyyk's atmosphere. The nose of the ship was already hitting the atmosphere, burning away as it did. Mace began to convert all the remaining power to the main engines. If I can overload them, he thought, I'll be able to create an explosion large enough to hurtle me to the planet.

New alarms joined the old ones as the main engine began to overload. Mace looked out the view port to see more of the ship being engulfed in the atmosphere.

BOOM!!!

Mace was hurled forward as the main engine blew, sending the ship in a much faster rotation toward Kashyyyk. Mace got up and put the blast shields over the main view port. He looked at the digital ship layout once more and saw that more of the ship had fallen apart. There was nothing more he could do.

All he had was the Force.

Mace kneeled on the floor in a meditation position and closed his eyes. He began to work a Force energy shield around the bridge. If he could hold it perhaps he would survive. Slowly it began to get hotter.

The heat was burning Mace; he could feel it inside his entire body. Sweat was dripping down his face. He dare not open his eyes to the horror that was surely surrounding him. More and more pressure was closing in on Mace, he could barely breathe. The pain was excruciating.

He thought of Skywalker the traitor. He thought of Shaak Ti, who his feelings for were beyond that of good friends. He thought of the vengeance he wanted to bring upon the new Emperor. He knew what he had to do. With all the pressure mounting on him, and heat destroying him he did one thing.

Mace Windu let go.


End file.
